Starting circuit for electric discharge lamps



Oct. 12, 1937. J. PETERSON 2,095,830

STARTING CIRCUIT FOR ELECTRIC DISCHARGE LAMPS Filed Aug. 14, 1936 Inventor: Justin Peterson,

y WW6 (/W H is Attorney.

" an auxiliary winding Ii Patented Oct. 12, l

' STARTING CIRCUIT FOR CHARGE LAMP My invention relates ELECTRIC DIS- Justin Peterson, Lynn, Mass, assignmto Gen-. eral Electric Compa y, a corporation oi New York Application August 14, 1936, Serial No. 96,667

4 Claims.

to electric discharge lamps, and more specifically to an improved starting circuit for such lamps.

One object of my invention isto provide an auxili discharge lamps whereby normal operatin stantially the considerably higher than ary power source for multiple connected a starting action under g voltages is obtained within subsame time periods as is nected lamps at startin obtainable g voltages the operating voltage.

For a better understanding of my invention, together with other and further objects thereof,

reference is bad to the taken in connection with the following description, accompanying drawing, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

' In the accompanying trated diagrammatically, lamp I provided with anodes 2 and 3 drawing, I have illus-' an electric discharge electrodes comprising and cathodes 4 and 5, each of the pairs being capable of functioning alternately as anode and cathode during operation. This type of lamp is described in greater detail in U. S.

Patent 1971 The transfo ,907 -Fiound, issued August 28, 1934. rmer 6, provided with a primarywinding-I and a secondary winding 8, is connected to the ends of cathodes 4 and 5 respectively by conductors 9 and Ill. The other end of the cathode 4 is connected to'itsanode 2 and correspondingly the other end of is connected to its anode the lamp is established b the cathode 5 3. A circuit outside of y my improved starting circuit during the starting period only. This circuit includes in accor dance with my invention of the transformer i and a thermal switching device I2, which establishes this circuit for a at the moment current is ary winding 8.

predetermined time beginning supplied by the second- The switching device i2 includes an operating magnet l3 energized by an auxiliary winding i 4 through conductors i5 and it whenever current flows in the switching arm or armature l primary winding I. A I is attracted to one operating position by the magnet l3 when it is energized and is moved to a second operating position by a spring l8 when the magnet is deenergized. In the second tablishes a circuit throug -II. This circuit maybe conductor ll,

position the arm l1 esh the starting winding traced from the secondary winding 8 to conductor 9, cathode 4, anode 2 .winding ll,

conductor 20, contact arm2l, contact 22, conductor 23, a thermal element 24, ductor I 0 and back to th In this circuit, therefore,

conductor 25, anode 3, cathode 5, cone secondary winding I. the secondary-winding 8, and the starting winding ll, supply current to the cathodes 4 an In the operation transformers of the voltage over the d 5 in series.

of multiple connected disarge lamps, the internal impedance of the does not permit a substantial rise normal operating voltage during the starting period. The starting of the lamps is therefore not as certain, or in other words, does not take place within the same time periods as is where a starting voltage consi than the operating voltage is obt cordance with my invention, I p

iliary power supplies an additional power cathodes of the lamps so that normal operating voltage will be the case in series operated lamps derably higher ainable. In acrovided the auxdescribed which for heating the. the substantially source as above ing the lamps, within a time period substantially the same as is required for the same lamps when series connected and at substantially higher starting voltages.

In the apparatus illustrated,

for example, the normal operation current is 6.6

amperes.

Q obtainable.

24 is set tov During the. starting period when the auxiliary coil il-is connected secondary winding 8 a current of 7.8 amperes is The time for which the thermostat operate is about 25 to 30 seconds,

in series with the which is substantially the same setting that is used for series operation at which a contact current of 6.6 amperes is m the voltage rises as much as aintained but in which 500% above the operating voltage to start the lamps.

The thermostatic element 24 is provided with a tongue 28 which moves under a pin 21 attached to the armature l1 and thereby prevents this armature from moving to its second position responsive to the attraction of the magnet ii.

The flow of current through the element 24, however, causes it to warp and move the tongue 26 away from the pin 21 after a predetermined interval, whereby the circuit through the cathodes is broken and the vol tage of the secondary winding 8 is placed across the gap of the electrodes within thelamp. the .electrodes, 25

The time period of heating to 30 seconds in the illustrated example, is so arranged that the electrodes are I sufllciently heated and a discharge between the. electrodes is started when the magnet is deepergized. A subsequent interruption of power, however permits the armature II to move to its previous position in response to the action of the spring It, so that upon a resumption of power the above operation is repeated.

With this improved arrangement of the elements I am,

therefore, able to start discharge capable of startlamps in multiple with substantially no rise in voltage with the same certainty and within the same time periods as is possible with series oper- 1. In a starting circuit for electric discharge lamps, the combination of a gaseous discharge lamp provided with a thermionic cathode, a cooperating anode, a transformer winding having its ends connected respectively to the said anode and one end of said cathode, an auxiliary transformer winding connected between the other end of said cathode and said anode energized simul- I taneously with said first transformer winding,

and a time delay switching means for disconnecting said auxiliary transformer winding a'predetermined time interval subsequent to the beginning of current flow in said first transformer winding.

2. In a starting circuit for a gaseous discharge lamp, the combination of a discharge lamp provided with a pair of thermionic electrodes including metallic filaments and operable alternately as anode and cathode, a transformer winding connected to one end of each of said filaments-a second transformer winding arranged to increase the heating current for said cathodes during the starting period and connected between the other ends of said filaments, and a time delay device arranged to establish a circuit through said electrodes and said two transformerwindings at the interruption of current through said first transformer winding and to interrupt said circuit through said second winding a predetermined period after each energization of said first winding whereby the voltage of said first winding is available to start a discharge between said electrodes.

3. In a starting circuit for electric discharge devices,'the combination of an electric discharge device provided with a thermionic cathode, a cooperating anode, a transformer winding having its ends connected respectively to said anode and one end of said cathode, an auxiliary transformer winding connected between the other end of said cathode and said anode energized simultaneously with said first transformer winding, and a time delay switching means for disconnecting said auxiliary transformer winding'a predetermined time interval subsequent to the beginning of current fiow in said first transformer winding;

4. In a starting circuit for a gaseous discharge device; the combination of a discharge device provided with a pair of thermionic electrodes including metallic filaments and operable alternately as anode and cathode, a transformer winding connected to one end of each of said filaments, a second transformer winding arranged to increase the heating current for said cathodes during the starting period and connected between the other ends of said filaments, and a time delay device arranged to establish a circuit through said electrodes and said two transformer windings at the interruption of current through said first transformer winding and to interrupt said circuit through said second winding a predetermined period after each energization of said first winding whereby the voltage of said first winding is available to start a discharge between said electrodes. Y

JUSTIN PETERSON. 

